Master of the Art "They say everyone has a calling. This is mine."

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You possess a mastery of swords.
Used by Tam Starling, Created by Polymorph.

Tam is a master of her art. Even when wielding the blades telekinetically, her hands make the appropriate gestures.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with swords.

+2 dice to all rolls with swords. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using swords.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Finesse: When Attacking a single being, you may limit the Severity of any Injury you inflict or determine a maximum Wound Level, including Incapacitated. You may also choose to make this Injury properly or improperly stabilized, or to keep it unstabilized.
  • Two Swords are better than One: If you are wielding more than one melee weapon, you may Attack with all using the highest Weapon Damage, plus 1 for each additional weapon. If you reserve a weapon, any Clash or Defend roll you make is -1 Difficulty, and mob penalties are ignored. Maximum +5 Damage from bonus weapons.

Revision purchased with:
Improvement from Earning commission in There Will Be Blood spent on improving power: Master of the Art    (since refunded)
Revision purchased with:
Gift from playing in Lil Game Hunter spent on new power: Master of the Art
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Community Melee Mastery Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Bludgeoning Weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with Bludgeoning Weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Bludgeoning Weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Fancy Footwork: You may move your full Dash distance and attack in the same Round without penalty. You may also split your movement before and after your attack.
  • Heavy Strikes: If you are attacking with a blunt weapon, if your attack causes an Injury you may choose to knock the target down and back 15 feet. Standing up is typically a Quick Action.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Arm sword.

Your attacks with Arm sword deal +3 Bonus Damage. Armor is fully effective against this damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Fancy Footwork: You may move your full Dash distance and attack with your Melee weapon in the same Round without penalty. You may also split your movement before and after your attack.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with melee weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with melee weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using melee weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Quick Draw: You may draw and equip yourself with any melee weapon on your person or within arm’s reach as a Free Action, as long as it is not being wielded by someone else.

"Itamae style: Usugiri" draws inspiration from the precision and finesse displayed in the traditional Usugiri cutting technique employed by Itamae. Just as the Itamae utilize their delicate knife skills to create thin, precise cuts in delicate ingredients, Machida applies a similar philosophy to his swordplay, but in a combat context.

The connection becomes evident in the way both techniques emphasize control, accuracy, and respect for the subject. In Usugiri, the goal is to cut ingredients so finely that their natural flavors are preserved, demonstrating the chef's skill in enhancing the essence of the food. Similarly, Machida's approach is not to inflict severe harm but to precisely incapacitate his opponent while minimizing undue suffering.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with melee weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with melee weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using melee weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Finesse: You may limit the Severity of any Injury you inflict or determine a maximum Wound Level to inflict on the target, including Incapacitated. You may also choose to make this Injury properly or improperly stabilized, or to keep it unstabilized.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Japanese Long Arms.

+2 dice to all rolls with Japanese Long Arms. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Japanese Long Arms.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Point Control: Called Shots that you attempt only require a Contested Outcome of 2 for small targets and 4 for tiny targets.
  • Whirlwind: You may Exert your Mind to apply your next attack to any number of targets who are within melee range.

Stock Melee Mastery Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with melee ninja weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with melee ninja weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using melee ninja weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Assassin: If your attack Injures your target, they cannot make a sound, even incidentally, for a single Round. Even the sound of their body and equipment dropping to the ground is silenced.
  • Falling Crane Strike: If you move and then make a successful attack against a target closer than the full distance you could have moved, you may choose to travel the excess movement in a straight line beyond the target.